Light beams or optical signals are frequently used to transmit digital data between electronic devices such as between components on a single circuit board, between adjacent circuit boards, and even over long distances. An optical signal may also be used for other purposes including position or motion sensing, measurement, reading encoded data, etc.
Consequently, optical technology plays a significant role in modern electronics, and many electronic devices employ optical components. Examples of such optical components include, but are not limited to, optical or light sources such as light emitting diodes and lasers, waveguides, fiber optics, lenses and other optics, photo-detectors and other optical sensors, optically-sensitive semiconductors, and others.
Such systems making use of optical components often rely upon the precise manipulation of the optical energy or beam of light to accomplish a desired task. This is especially true in systems utilizing light for high-speed, low-energy communication of data. Such manipulation of an optical signal may include selectively encoding information in a light beam and then directing the light beam to a sensor that detects the optical energy and converts the encoded information into an electrical data signal.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements.